DTM at the Nürburgring: Bortolotti starts the second half of the season as the man to beat

• Lamborghini driver eager to repeat last year’s win and defend championship lead
• Not much separates trio of pursuers Kelvin van der Linde, René Rast, and Maro Engel
• Ralf Schumacher makes motorsport comeback alongside son David

Munich. The DTM returns from the summer break at full throttle. The Nürburgring marks the start of the second half of the season this weekend (16th to 18th August) with the battle for the title entering its fifth round at the legendary track in the Eifel region. The trend is in frontrunner Mirko Bortolotti’s (I) favour, but his rivals are hot on his heels, meaning he needs to get more top results. Notably, Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde of South Africa has his sights set firmly on the top of the table, trailing the Lamborghini works driver by just six points. A look at the statistics promises a thrilling weekend – there have been seven different winners in the previous eight races. Ralf Schumacher also has an exciting DTM event in store. The former Formula 1 driver is making a one-off motorsport comeback alongside son David. The father-son duo will be lining up for US Racing in the Prototype Cup Germany. ProSieben will be broadcasting the DTM races at the Nürburgring live on German free-to-air TV on Saturday and Sunday from 13:00. The races will also be streamed live online on Joyn, ran.de, and the @DTM YouTube channel.

Key facts, Nürburgring, Nürburg, races 9 and 10 of 16

• Track length: 3629 metres
• Layout: Eleven turns (seven right-hand turns and four left-hand turns), driven clockwise
• 2023 winner of race 1: Mirko Bortolotti (SSR Performance, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2)
• 2023 winner of race 2: Maximilian Paul (GRT Grasser-Racing-Team, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2)

Bortolotti and Rast eager to build on strong form
Current man of the hour in the DTM is Bortolotti: The SSR Performance driver picked up 52 of his 104 points in the previous three qualifying sessions and races. But Bortolotti is still waiting to get his first win of the season – the Nürburgring might just be the perfect timing for him. The 34-year-old excelled at the track in the 2023 season with a start-finish victory. Kelvin van der Linde in particular is pushing hard to reclaim the top position. The 28-year-old of Abt Sportsline led the DTM for four races and, in second place with 98 points, is very much in striking distance of Bortolotti. “I’m super excited. We’re right in the middle of the fight for the title, which is an extra motivational boost for the whole team. The Nürburgring region is full of passionate fans, as drivers we love going there,” said van der Linde. René Rast (Bregenz) of Schubert Motorsport and Maro Engel (Monaco/Mercedes-AMG Team Winward) are the remaining members of the trio of pursuers.

BMW driver Rast is a real Nürburgring expert. The three-time champion has recorded three DTM wins at the track south of Bonn – all of which were for Audi. In the BMW M4 GT3 of Schubert Motorsport, Rast has picked up a strong 65 points in the last four races and shot up from ninth into third place in the standings. Will the 37-year-old build on his top form at the Nürburgring? Also looking to move up the table is defending champion Thomas Preining (A), who drives a Porsche 911 GT3 R with the Grello design that is very popular in the Eifel region, and in seventh place is relying on the home advantage. The Porsche works driver and Ayhancan Güven (TR) are lining up for the Manthey EMA team, which is based in Meuspath – just around the corner from the Nürburgring. Mercedes-AMG Team HRT doesn’t have far to travel either. The team from Drees will be represented by India’s Arjun Maini, who lives in Troisdorf near Cologne, and Luca Stolz (Brachbach).

Schumacher start in the Prototype Cup Germany
Fans at the Nürburgring can look forward to a famous father-son pairing. Ralf Schumacher is set to make his motorsport comeback in the Prototype Cup Germany. The former Formula 1 driver will share a 455 hp Ligier LMP3 prototype of US Racing with his son David Schumacher. “I’ve wanted to race with David for a long time, so I’m happy to be getting back into a racing car. The car is a lot of fun, we’re looking forward to contesting the Prototype Cup Germany,” said Ralf Schumacher.

The ADAC GT4 Germany and the all-electric NXT Gen Cup will also be in action at the Nürburgring, and the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland will provide fast-paced one-make cup action. The DTM Track Safari on the Friday offers fans a special kind of racetrack expedition, when they take to the Nürburgring in coaches alongside the powerful DTM racing cars. There is also a premiere on the programme for the Eifel region: the first edition of the “DTM Trucks Go and Stop” competition will be held on Saturday evening starting at 18:30. The aim is to drive as fast as possible in the towing machines from the DTM paddock and then brake with pinpoint accuracy on the start-finish straight. Sunshine Live will also be hosting an After Race Party in the DTM Fan Zone as of 18:15 on Saturday evening, offering the perfect way to extend the race day in the Eifel region into the evening. Tickets for the DTM race weekend at the Nürburgring are available at dtm.com, starting from 39 euros. Children and young people under the age of 16 enjoy free admission when accompanied by an adult.